Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1887-01-28
COAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN.
rwo Recognized sicthod, of worn,nr
Onk -Y,,,..s... S..,,,

rwo NccoSnixcd Ncthod, OF worttlng
Out C"nl-DanEcrous SuDsidcnos.
The alarming subsistence whicl, took
place some time ago iil Scotland, on tho
North British railway, near Prestonpans.
and which was fortunately unattended
10y any accident, has Doubtless added a
fresh source of fear to the nervous rail.
Way passenger. That the permanent
way of railway for II distance Of about
fifty yards should suddenly sinl, to tho
extent of two feet is almost incomprc.
hensible ut firt; and had this subsidence
occurred while the train WIS passing, i'm
stead of Immediately nftcrwar,i, tho
consequences might have been dis.
astrous. 1t is the case, however. though,
it may not be generally known. thu.
observation-disclosures only gradual
nnd comparatively ipappr.ciabl,-ar
taking place over many of our railway
lines. and that minerals" are actually
being extracted from underneath nearly
every line OF railway under which there
is any mineral to get
There are two recognized methods oi
working out coal. The old method is
what is known us the "stoop-anl. room"
'r pillar-nndroom" system; and Tie
method introduced into Scotland nho, It
tho beginning of the present ccnl,ir, is
known as the "longwuli" or "Shropsh,rc"
system of working. The first system
explains itself by its nume. After tho
bed of coal is struck, rooms" nrc worked
out. leaving pillars" or "stoopsn to sup.
port the esuperincumbcnt st rata The Oh.
Ject to be attained III this system, us
practiccd i'll the olden times, was 10
have large room worked out, and rs
small II stoop or pillar of the coal usv.f
left. rs was consistent with the safety VI
The mine and the support Of the surface,
while the mine was open.
But this system entniled the cnli,e
oss Of tho pillars SO left. To olvin,a
this loss, the method now generally
adopted is to dive narrow rooms or
pussases, seldom exceeding foul,, cn
feet, through the scam. leaving In. e
pillars-about 20 per cent uf the min.
ernl-ttntil the extremity of the avnila.
Bile coal is reached. When, however,
no regard is 10 be had for the surface,
AMI Tie coal has thus worked out rs iai
an can Inc done, tl:e miner commences 10
Work backward, taking out the stoops OF
pillars as he goes. The whole roof OF
lhH mime then comss down; ani th,s Is
the most dangerous kind of sulsitlence
II does not tuke effect Immediately abuve
the place whero "stooping" las been 20
ing Jii,~ but it nlso .drnwsr round
about it.
The "longwnll," or Shropshire method
OF working. is what is known ns tho
system of complete excavations; tha. is,
the miner takes out the wholn coal AZ lie
proceeds, leaving perhaps only foot of
the roof, should the everything strata he
soft, and props up n passage with wooden
supports as he p.'ceeds to enable him
to Keep mn open way TO the face of tho
coal The portions worked out are
packed on each side of the road" wi.h
the waste niaterial taken out viii: tho
coal. This method of working, though
it necessarily implies subsidence, in on
the Whole The safest for the surface, and
is generally the one adopted. In fact,
ns mineral landlords are paid, in lieu oi
rent. royalty or lordShip on every ton
of coal or other mineral brought to the
surface, and az tho tenant cln more
quickly extract tho mineral by the
wooden prop mntiioi he is generally
bound in his lease to work in this M IN.
ner. when practicable. - Cnambcr'A J.ur.
nal.